Just Your Average Daimaru

Daimaru's posture couldn't have been more humble. Paying his respects in advance to the soon-to-be father-in-law who might not have many months left wasn't something he felt bitter about.

"I understand your request. Go now, and we'll notify you of the outcome," the Kazekage said.

"Thank you, Lord Fourth," Daimaru replied.

Given the Fourth Kazekage's daily torrent of responsibilities, it was a wonder he remembered Daimaru, the insignificant genin, at all. If not for the commendation for his "death in service" that had crossed the Kazekage's desk just a couple of months ago, Daimaru would likely have been forgotten already.

After Daimaru's departure, the decisive Rasa immediately summoned his trusted aide.

"Yura, is this the genin currently listed with the village?" he asked.

"Yes," replied Yura, the composed and proficient jounin, a rising star in recent years known for his reliability and discretion, earning Rasa's trust and participating in many of the Hidden Sand's top-secret missions. Even the village's elders, Chiyo and Ebizo, spoke highly of him. Such talent promised an unbounded future in the struggling Hidden Sand.

"Too many! Do you have the details on this genin, Daimaru?"

"Yes, Lord Fourth," Yura responded with a professional tone, showcasing his meticulous work ethic. "This Daimaru is somewhat well-known among the genin..."

"Oh? Is he powerful?" Rasa's interest was mildly piqued.

Yura pulled out Daimaru's ninja registration and handed it over. "Good physical fitness, excellent aptitude in ninjutsu, and chakra possessing the very rare 'Seal Breaking' attribute. Although it's weak right now, the potential is promising. Most notably, his mental strength is extraordinary, suggesting exceptional talent in genjutsu..."

Rasa glanced at Daimaru's file: "Acceptable!"

"Especially chakra with a 'Seal Breaking' attribute—it's invaluable. That's what makes him stand out. However..." Yura shook his head with a hint of regret, "We lack experience in nurturing such ninjas, leaving him to grope in the dark, and his excellent potential remains largely untapped."

The Land of Wind was barren, resources scarce, and the Hidden Sand Village would be absent from the ranks of the five great shinobi villages were it not for the Second Kazekage, Shamon, who developed Magnet Release and puppetry techniques.

The Hidden Sand had few bloodline-based ninja clans; the variety of ninja types was limited. Notable genjutsu users were almost non-existent, and the level of sealing techniques couldn't even see the dust left by the Hidden Leaf, not to mention the rarer "Seal Breaking" attributes.

"It's a pity," Rasa sighed.

"We're helpless in this matter. Daimaru will certainly be of great use in the future, but we don't know when or how to use him," Yura explained, like describing a guilty pleasure hard to discard.

"What has his jounin teacher Sabaku taught him over the years?"

"A bit of basic Magnet Release, which works quite well. Moreover, according to reports submitted by Jounin Sabaku, Daimaru seems to have developed quite a few interesting tricks on his own..."

"Self-developed techniques?" Rasa confirmed.

"Yes. Besides Magnet Release, a branch of Earth Release, he occasionally reveals considerable Wind Release chakra, suggesting a strong grasp of Wind Release techniques..."

"That's intriguing! Anything else?"

"Additionally, he seems to have cultivated puppetry on his own..."

Daimaru's father and grandfather were both ninjas—not powerful but not nameless either. When the Second Kazekage was experimenting with Magnet Release and puppetry, many ninja families, including his, received some puppetry techniques to practice and evaluate their effectiveness.

To this day, many surviving ninja households held some rudimentary early puppetry techniques and Magnet Release secrets. Many orphaned civilian ninjas in the Hidden Sand relied on these scraps, coupled with their own exploration, to develop unique jutsus, contributing to the village's cultivation system.

"Can we pinpoint the type of puppetry?"

"Daimaru never publicly used Wind Release or puppetry; we have no details on the specifics..."

"I want to know if he's delved into any taboos..."

Unsanctioned puppet masters, who inadvertently study forbidden arts like human puppetry, must be stopped.

"No sign of that. Lord Fourth, with the fragmented knowledge passed down decades ago, developing something like human puppetry would be unlikely for a youth like Daimaru..."

"Hmm..."

Rasa pondered for a moment, "Anything else worth noting?"

"That's all for his abilities. His luck seems exceptionally poor, though..."

"Poor luck?"

"Yes!" Yura couldn't help but smile, "Their squad is quite capable but always seems to run into inexplicable troubles. Any other genin team might have been wiped out several times over, but Daimaru always manages to survive against the odds, especially last time..."

Rasa waved it off, "I'm aware of that, 'Red Sandstorm,' quite a name!"

"What's your perspective on his uncanny bad luck, Lord Fourth? Should it be considered if we're to reshuffle the genin teams?"

"No need. It's normal to be seen as unlucky when danger frequents, but possessing the fortitude to turn the tables every time is both a curse and a blessing. Luck is part of one's strength, but a shinobi of the sand does not rely on luck!"

"Understood. Thank you for your wisdom!"

Yura bowed respectfully, accepting the lesson.

"Additionally, there's a personal matter that seems to involve you, Lord Fourth. Daimaru appears rather smitten with your eldest daughter—Temari, and is pursuing her!"

"Is that so?" Rasa, usually unflappable, finally showed some surprise, "Youthful infatuation; Temari has come of age."

"Shall we intervene?"

"No need to, let her be."

The Hidden Sand was founded by outcasts in the deserts of the Land of Wind. Social status and wealth were never mainstream concerns, and Rasa himself ascended to Kazekage out of wartime necessity, not from any prestigious clan or family.

"Only those who survive to adulthood in the sand have the luxury to consider the future. It's too early for now."

"As you wish."

Yura bowed and took his leave, knowing now how to proceed.

With the Hidden Sand's high casualty rate, there were plenty of undermanned squads. A slight reshuffle could impact many lives, determining whether their futures would be outstanding or mediocre, all hinging on a single thought.